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Hepatitis A Case-Count Back Up to 99

The day after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lowered the case-count in the hepatitis A outbreak linked to a frozen organic berry mix from 99 to 97, the agency reported that it was back up to 99.

On Friday, the CDC stated on its hepatitis A outbreak page that 99 people from 8 states had reported becoming ill with hepatitis A after eating “Townsend Farms Organic Anti-Oxidant” Blend” frozen berry and pomegranate seeds purchased from Costco Warehouse stores. The product was also hold at Harris Teeter stores, but no hepatitis A cases have been identified among individuals who purchased the product at those stores to date.

According to the CDC, illness onset dates range from March 16 – June 3, 2013. Ill individuals range in age from 2 – 87 years; 44 people have been hospitalized.

Pomegranate seeds imported from Turkey that were included in the Townsend Farms product are the suspected source of the hepatitis A outbreak.

Customers who consumed the frozen berry mix within the past 14 days are urged to get the hepatitis A vaccine if they have not had it before.

Those who consumed the berries more than two weeks ago will not benefit from the vaccine, but should keep an eye out for symptoms of hepatitis A infection, which include nausea, cramping in the upper right abdomen, diarrhea, fatigue, loss of appetite, dark urine and jaundice, or yellowing of the skin and eyes.